Content

The first clinical placement consists of four key activities:

i) pre-clinical workshops;

ii) placement experience;

iii) supervision; and

iv) case analysis seminars.

This unit is designed to equip students with a range of clinical psychology skills and an awareness of professional issues. Students will fast-track the translation and integration of academic coursework learning into real life application. Students will also develop professional identity and practice through early adoption of supervision and professional learning plans as well as case formulation.

PRE-CLINICAL WORKSHOPS

To prepare for placement attendance, students will participate in a number of practitioner led workshops covering topics such as professional identity, tertiary public mental health settings and procedures, psychopharmacology, applied suicide intervention skills training and risk assessment, diversity as well as aggression management.

PLACEMENT EXPERIENCE

Through the Deakin University Psychology Clinics which are embedded within Eastern Health (Box Hill) and Barwon Health (Geelong region), students are offered the unique opportunity of undertaking their first placement within Victoria’s public mental health services. This provides students with training and skills in working with individuals who are experiencing severe mental illness and increase their knowledge of the public health treatment systems that support these individuals. Students will have the opportunity to observe clinical work being undertaken and take part in some assessments and interventions within a Barwon Health’s Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Services Team.

SUPERVISION

Weekly supervision will be provided by University Clinic Supervisors in both individual and group supervision formats. Supervisors are able to support students to realise individual professional development plans that can be carried across their course. Through group supervision, students are also able to leverage off the experience of their peers across the different service settings. The opportunity to experience a range of supervision models will advance students capacity to utilise supervision as a learning tool through their placement program and their career.

A Supervision contract will be developed at the start of placement which will require the development of specific learning objectives as well as outlining roles, responsibilities and requirements. Student’s performance will be evaluated on using the Mid and End of Placement Supervisor Report. Students will be evaluated on core competencies and are to demonstrate ethical and professional practice.

CASE ANALYSIS

This unit also involves regular attendance at weekly case analysis seminars in which students learn the theory and practice of case analysis/case conceptualisation as a foundation for subsequent placement and coursework requirements. Students will participate in case discussions and may be required to present case material.

As part of this unit, students are also required to submit a case report on a case within their placement agency.

Upon completion of this unit, students will have received sound knowledge and training in professional practice which will support development in subsequent placements.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Attendance for a minimum of 27 days (including placement and pre-clinical workshops)

Assessment task 2: Presentation of logbook of all days of observational placement (including pre-clinical workshops) to the Unit Chair within 21 days of completion the observational days

Assessment task 3: Satisfactory report outlining professional and ethical competence of the student from the Placement Supervisor (completion of the placement)

Assessment task 4: Satisfactory case report (approximately 4000 words) written by the student and submitted to the University Supervisor within 21 days of completion of placement

These assessment and procedural components constitute 100% of the assessment for this unit and failure to satisfactorily complete the requirements of any one component will result in the student failing the unit, preclude the admission of the student to the next placement and may result in the student's exclusion from the course.